Date:         Mon, 8 May 95 20:44:44 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         ja@decws3.coe.wvu.edu (John Anderson)
Subject:      Re: Removing steering box

> guys get these off??"  They said "With a Pittman arm puller."  It's basically
> a very hefty, C-shaped lump of steel with a bolt through the middle.  I
> 
> Pat Walsh, '71 Westy, walshp@ippdsgi3.nawc-ad-indy.navy.mil
> 
On this subject, I'd like to add that it is often helpful if
you got an arc welder, or a friend with one to make such things
yourself.  I made a puller to pull the arm off my steering
box in my old '76 by welding a couple of pieces of 3" channel
together tips to tips, carving a notch out of one side with an
angle grinder and drilling a hole then welding a 1/2" nut to the
other side through which went a Gr. 8 bolt.  Thing is ugly as
hell but works so nicely I made a smaller one out of 2.5 x 2.5"
tube to press the tie rod ends out of steering components, they
work a lot nicer than standard pullers as the arms can not slip
around though they do require access from one side to use.  Seems
I also used the big one to press the ball joints out of the spindles 
as I replaced the beam but got the new one minus the spindles.
Got the idea from pictures in the Bently manual, or
in some Bently manual at least, we own quite a library of em.  In
general I say, look at those special tools, look at what they do
and then ask yourself, could I make one from something? usually
you can if you got the time and a grinder.  Of course they only
fit around one size component unless you get lucky as well.  Bad
attempt to show you the tool follows.

John Anderson
ja@coe.wvu.edu
'71 Westy, '90 Corrado G60

            -------
            !     ! - head of bolt
            -------
  top        !   !
-------------------------------
!                             !
!       /-------------\       !
!      /    !     !-nut\      !
!     /     -------     \     !
!    /       !   !       \    !
!   /        !   !        \   !
!  /         !   !         \  !
! /          !   !          \ !
! !          !   !          ! ! - channel welded togeter to
! \          !   !          / !   form box
!  \         !   !         /  !
!   \        !   !        /   !  !---------------------!
!    \        \ /        /    !  !       bottom        !
!     \                 /     !  !      ---------      !
!      \               /      !  !     /         \     !
!       \-------------/       !  !     !    o    !     !
!          !       !          !  !     !         !     !
!-----------------------------!  !-----!         !-----!
  bottom
           ^ slot that fits around appropriate part to be pulled
             as shown in bottom view, "o" is tip of bolt.

excuse the bad proportions, hope this acsii art gets through OK.
only parts needed are a couple of inches of channel for each side
(or heavy wall steel tube if a good size exists) a nut and bolt,
lube the bolt with some antiseize and press away, I have hauled on
mine using a two foot breaker bar and all my strength to break some
things loose and my welding technique was far from ideal,  the
thing looks terrible but has never broken.  Total cost was probably
around $5 of scrap and of course access to an angle grinder and arc
welder.  Sure you could rent it but if you make it you got it
forever, and for whenever (say 6 p.m. on a Sunday evening) you
need it.  Happy fabricating.